Tube-cleaner.



A. HOLDSWORTH.

TUBE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16,1913

1,112,008. I P nt d Sept.29,1914.

ALBERT HOLDSWORTHyOF JOHANNESBURG, TRA'NSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA.

TUBE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

Application filed June 16, 1913i I Serial No. 774,010.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT HoLDswoR'rrI, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of Johannesburg, Province of Transvaal, Union of South Africa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates primarily to a new or improved turbine driven tube cleaner or turbine driven device for removing scale or incrustation from the interior of the tubes of watertube boilers and for removing incrustation or scale or other hard deposit from the interior surface of other tubes or hollow bodies.

In the device the turbine comprises a plurality of movable vanes between which are positioned the fixed vanes, both sets of vanes being constructed in the manner hereinafter fully explained. By constructing the device to permit of the employment of a turbine of such construction I am able to develop more power in a given space, which as applied to the present purpose is an important advantage, as the space within which the apparatus must necessarily operate is.

very limited. A device embodying my invention can also be utilized for other analogous purposes, it being applicable generally where it is required to develop and apply the power in small or confined space.

My invention will be fully described with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a view of the device with the casing in section. Fig. 2 is a transversesection of Fig. 1 on line ww looking toward the inlet ports 15. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of Fig. 1 on line g Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one (25) of the three stationary elements of theturbine, detached. Fig. 5 is a section of Fig.4 on line ee.

the revoluble elements of the turbine, detached, and Figs. 7 8, 9 are elevations of portions of each of thethree other revoluble elements. 1 j

The construction of the device illustrated is more particularly designed for actuating the hammer, drill or other tool of a tube cleaner. As shown in Fig. 1 it comprises a casing consisting of a rear portion 1 hav ing a passage 2 through it for leading the compressed air or other actuating fluid into the chamber 3 at the rear of the several various stationary and revoluble elements of the turbine. Member 1 is provided at its outer end with an external screw-thread 4 for making the connection in any suitable manner with the actuating fluid supply pipe. Said member at its other endhas a screw-thread-fi whereby it is screwed into a corresponding interiorly screw-threaded aperture in the end of part 6 of the casing which provides the actuating fluid receiving chamber 3. Member 1 has an annular projection 7 between which and the end of part 6 of the casing packing may be placed if desired to make a gas-tight joint between the parts 1 and6. Flats 7* may be formed on part 1 for screwing it into or. out of the part 6. 1 p 1 That portion of the casing which incloses the various stationary and revoluble elements of the turbine is cylindrical and is constructed in two equal parts 8, 9. The

halves 8, 9 of the casing are provided at each end with external screw-threads 10, 11 and the portion .6 of the casing is provided at the forward end with a corresponding internal screw-thread 12 to admit of the halves 8, 9 being screwed into it inthemanner illustrated in Fig. 1.

13 are holes in part 6 for the reception of a suitable tool for the purpose of holding or rotating the part 6 while connecting the latter to the halves 8, 9 of the casing.

The part 6has an internal partition or diaphragm 14 in which a ring of holes 15, inclined, as shown in Fig. 2 areformed. The holes 15 constitute ports through which the actuating fluid passes from chamber 3 to the vanes of the first revoluble element 16 of the turbine. The ports 15 are so inclined that the fluid which passes through them is directed against and impinges upon the concave or hollow sides of the vanes 17 p of the revoluble element 16. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one (16) of The diaphragm 14.- is constructed at the center to provide a bearing 18 for one end of the turbine spindle 19 and it is also recessed at "the front as indicated at 20 to accommodate an enlarged cylindrical portion 21 of said spindle.

22,23, 24: are the three other revoluble elements of the turbine and25, 26, 27 are the three stationary elements of same which i latter are, as shown in Fig. 1, positioned be; tween the revoluble elements 16, 22, 23 an d 24:. The three rotating elements 22,2 3 24' are each constructed with a cylindrical boss or projecting part QS which projects into the stationary elements 25,

portion 29 is enlarged as indicated at 31 and it is constructed to form a race for the balls 32 which-take up the thrust.

The front ends of each of the halves 8, 9 of the casing are constructed to provide a bearing forthe front end of the spindle 19;

33 being a bush, constructed in halves and arranged in. said bearing, in which the spindle runs. The enlarged inner ends 34 of the two-part bush 33 opposite the enlargement 31 are constructed to provide the opposing race for the balls-32. 35 are flats on the spindle in front of the bearing 33 to allow of the spindle being held while attaching to its threaded front portion 36 the hammer, drill or other tool of the tube cleaner.

37 are holes formed in the end of the halves 8, 9 of the casing which constitute the exhaust ports for the actuating fluid.

38 is a ring or nut which is screwed over the external thread 11 provided at the front ends of the halves 8, 9 ofthe casing and serves in conjunction with the internal thread 12 of part 6 to retain the various parts of the device in their respective operative positions. v

.The blades or vanes of the several revoluble elements 16, 22, 23, 24 of the turbine may, as shown connection with the elements 16, 22 in Figs. 1, 6 and 7, be of uniform thickness along their outer ends and tapered slightly inwardly as indicated at 16, 1?, respectively, or. they may, as shown in connection with the elements 23, 2 4 in Figs. 1, 8 and 9., increase in thickness from the. front to the back or in the direction of the flow of, the fluid through the device as indicated at 23*, 24 in Fig. 1, as Well as being tapered in an inward direction, as indicated at 23 24". 1

The stationary elements 25, 26, 27 of the turbine are clamped in position by and be tween the halves 8, 9 of the casing. As

. shown in Figs. 4 and"5 each of these elements is provided with a ring of angularly disposed grooves 25 between the vanes 25, whichgrooves form passages for the actuating fluid between the several revoluble ele- 'ments 16, 22, 23 and 24.- These passages are inclined as shown Fig. 5- so that the fluid jets are thereby directed upon the concave e f e e t e e o u le lemen 2, 23,

the first rotating element 16.

24 and as shown in Fig. 5 said passages are constructed or made smaller on the outlet side than on the inlet side as indicated at 25 in Fig. 5 so that they operate like nozzles to increase the velocity of the fluid as it issues therefrom.

Although I show the device comprising four revoluble elements and three stationary elements it is to be understood that it may consist of two revoluble elements with one stationary element arranged between them or any other desired number of revoluble elements with stationary elements positioned between them.

39,40 are strips of metal or other suitable material placed in coincident grooves formed in the adjacent surfaces of the halves S, 9 of the casing. The pieces 39, 4O prevent leakage of the fluid between the parts 8, 9 and also center said parts.

The operation of the device is as follows The actuating fluid enters at 2 and passes into the chamber 3 thence through the angularly disposed ports 15 which directs the fluid upon the concave surfaces of the blades of The fluid then passes into restricted passages or noz- Zles 25 in the first stationary element 25 of the turbine. The fluid issues from the smaller ends of said passages or nozzles and is directed against and impacts upon the curved surfaces of the vanes of revoluble element 22. It then passes through the passages or nozzles in stationary element 26 being thereby directed upon the vanes of revoluble element 23; it then flows through the constricted passages or nozzles in stationary element 27 and by the latter is directed against the vanes of the last revoluble ele ment 24 and finally escapes from the end of the casing through the exhaust ports 37 What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A tube cleaner comprising a plurality of revoluble elements which are separated by stationary elements and a casing comprising a plurality of parts for inclosing the revoluble and stationary elements, the parts of the casing being grooved to receive packing strips between them.

2. A tube cleaner comprising a plurality of revoluble elements which are separated by stationary elements and a casing comprising a plurality of parts for inclosing the revoluble and stationary elements the parts of the cas ng being grooved to receive packing strips between them and in which the front portion of the cas ng is constructed to provide a receiving chamber for the actuat ng flu d and with a diaphragm partition in which angularly disposed ports or passages are formed for the actuating fluid topass to the first revoluble element.

3,. A- tube cleaner comprising a plurality of revoluble elements which are separated by stationary elements and a casing com- In testimony whereof I have signed my prising a plurality of parts for inclosing the name to this specification in the presence 10 revoluble and stationary elements, the parts of two subscribing witnesses.

of the casing being grooved to receive packing strips between them and the parts of ALBERT HOLDSWORTH' said casing serving to clamp the several Witnesses: stationary elements in position between CHAS. OVENDALE, them. A. THOMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for he cents each, by eddreuing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Wuhington, D. O. 

